Utility values and diabetic retinopathy

Beyond VEGF: Angiopoietin-Tie Signaling Pathway in Diabetic Retinopathy

Complications from diabetic retinopathy such as diabetic macular edema (DME) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) constitute leading causes of preventable vision loss in working-age patients. Since vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of these complications, VEGF inhibitors have been the cornerstone of their treatment. Anti-VEGF monotherapy is an effective but burdensome treatment for DME. However, due to the intensive and burdensome treatment, most patients in routine clinical practice are undertreated, and therefore, their outcomes are compromised. Even in adequately treated patients, persistent DME is reported anywhere from 30% to 60% depending on the drug used. PDR is currently treated by anti-VEGF, panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) or a combination of both. Similarly, a number of eyes, despite these treatments, continue to progress to tractional retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage. Clearly there are other molecular pathways other than VEGF involved in the pathogenesis of DME and PDR. One of these pathways is the angiopoietin-Tie signaling pathway. Angiopoietin 1 (Ang1) plays a major role in maintaining vascular quiescence and stability. It acts as a molecular brake against vascular destabilization and inflammation that is usually promoted by angiopoietin 2 (Ang2). Several pathological conditions including chronic hyperglycemia lead to Ang2 upregulation. Recent regulatory approval of the bi-specific antibody, faricimab, may improve long term outcomes in DME. It targets both the Ang/Tie and VEGF pathways. The YOSEMITE and RHINE were multicenter, double-masked, randomized non-inferiority phase 3 clinical trials that compared faricimab to aflibercept in eyes with center-involved DME. At 12 months of follow-up, faricimab demonstrated non-inferior vision gains, improved anatomic outcomes and a potential for extended dosing when compared to aflibercept. The 2-year results of the YOSEMITE and RHINE trials demonstrated that the anatomic and functional results obtained at the 1 year follow-up were maintained. Short term outcomes of previously treated and treatment-naive eyes with DME that were treated with faricimab during routine clinical practice suggest a beneficial effect of faricimab over other agents. Targeting of Ang2 has been reported by several other means including VE-PTP inhibitors, integrin binding peptide and surrobodies.

Measuring Quality of Life in Diabetic Retinal Disease: A Narrative Review of Available Patient-Reported Outcome Measures

Topic

Several patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are available to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with late-stage clinical diabetic retinal diseases (DRDs). However, an understanding of the psychometric properties of PROMs is needed to assess how they could relate to severity levels of a revised DRD grading system. This narrative review assessed the available generic-, vision-, and DRD-related PROMs used in DRD research and highlights areas for improvement.

Clinical Relevance

Diabetic retinal disease is a common complication of diabetes and can lead to sight-threatening complications with a devastating effect on HRQoL.

Methods

The Quality of Life working group is one of 6 working groups organized for the DRD Staging System Update Effort, a project of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were searched using core keywords to retrieve ophthalmology-related review articles, randomized clinical trials, and prospective, observational, and cross-sectional studies in the English language. A detailed review of 12 PROMs (4 QoL questionnaires and 8 utilities) that met a minimum level of evidence (LOE) was conducted. The relevance of each PROM to DRD disease stage and Biomarker Qualification guidelines (Biomarkers, EndpointS, and other Tools) categories was also defined.

Results

The National Eye Institute 25-item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25), Impact of vision impairment-computerized adaptive testing, and Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Edema Computerized Adaptive Testing System had a LOE of II in detecting change due to late-stage DRD (diabetic macular edema), although several areas for improvement (e.g., psychometrics and generalizability) were identified. Other PROMs, particularly the utilities, had a LOE of III due to cross-sectional evidence in late-stage clinical DRD. Although the NEI VFQ-25 has been the most widely used PROM in late-stage DRD, more work is required to improve its multidimensional structure and other psychometric limitations. No PROM was deemed relevant for subclinical or early/mid-DRD.

Conclusion

This narrative review found that the most commonly used PROM is NEI VFQ-25, but none meets the ideal psychometric, responsiveness, and clinical setting digital administration requirements that could be included in an updated DRD staging system for diagnosis and monitoring of DRD progression.

Financial Disclosures

Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Psychometric properties and comparison of four health utility approaches among myopia patients in China

BACKGROUND

The increased prevalence of myopia creates and earlier age of onset has created public health concerns for the long-term eye health, vision impairment and carries with it a significant economic burden. The quality of the economic evaluation is dependent on the sensitivity and validity of the approaches. Nowadays, there are many approaches to measure patients' health state utility (HSU). However, little is known regarding the performance of direct approach and indirect approach in people with myopia. This study is aimed to compare the psychometric properties of four HSU approaches among patients with myopia in mainland China, including two direct approaches (TTO and SG), the generic preference-based measures (PBM) (AQoL-7D) and the disease-specific PBM (VFQ-UI).

METHODS

A convenience sampling framework was used to recruit patients with myopia who attended a large ophthalmic hospital in Jinan, China. Spearman's rank correlations coefficient was used to assess concurrent validity. Known-group validity was analyzed by: (1) whether the patients wear corrective devices; (2) severity of myopia as low or moderate to high of the better eye; (3) duration of myopia as ≤ 10 years or > 10 years. Effect size (ES), relative efficiency (RE) statistic and the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were used to assess sensitivity. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess agreement.

RESULTS

A valid sample size of 477 myopia patients was analyzed (median duration: 10 years). The mean HSU scores between TTO and SG were similar (0.95) and higher than AQoL-7D (0.89) and VFQ-UI (0.83). Overall, the VFQ-UI had the best performance based on the psychometric analysis. The agreement indicated that there was no pair of approaches that could be used interchangeably.

CONCLUSIONS

The VFQ-UI showed better psychometric properties than other three approaches for providing health state utility in Chinese myopia patients. Given the widespread use and its generic nature of the AQoL-7D, it could be used alongside with VFQ-UI to provide complementary health state utility from a generic and disease-specific perspective for economic evaluation. More evidence on the responsiveness of four health utility approaches in myopia patients is required.

Elicitation of Health State Utility Values in Retinitis Pigmentosa by Time Trade-off in the United Kingdom

Introduction

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinal pathology associated with "night blindness" and progressive loss of peripheral vision, in some cases leading to complete blindness. Health state utility values are required for activities such as modelling disease burden or the cost-effectiveness of new interventions. The current study aimed to generate utility values for health states of varying levels of functional vision in RP, with members of the general public in the UK.

Methods

Five health states were defined according to standard clinical measures of visual ability. Health state descriptions were developed following interviews with patients with RP in the UK (n=5). Further interviews were conducted for confirmation with healthcare professionals with specific experience of managing patients with RP in the UK (n=2). Interviews with members of the general public in the UK were conducted to value health states. A time trade-off (TTO) process based on the established Measurement and Valuation of Health (MVH) protocol was used. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all interviews were web-enabled and conducted 1:1 by a trained moderator.

Results

In total, n=110 TTO interviews were conducted with members of the UK general public. Mean TTO utility values followed the logical and expected order, with increasing visual impairment leading to decreased utility. Mean values varied between 0.78 ± 0.20 ("moderate impairment"), and 0.33 ± 0.26 ("hand motion" to "no light perception"). Supplementary visual analogue scale (VAS) scores also followed the logical and expected order: mean VAS values varied between 47.95 ± 15.38 ("moderate impairment") and 17.22 ± 12.49 in ("hand motion" to "no light perception").

Discussion

These data suggest that individuals living with RP have substantially impaired quality of life. Utility values for RP have been elicited here using a method and sample that is suitable for economic modelling and health technology assessment purposes.

The Effect on Patients' Visual Acuity and Grade, Secondary to Non-Attendance at Treatment Centers, Post Referral from Diabetic RetinaScreen Ireland

Background

Patient non-attendance following referral to hospital is a significant challenge, in particular, for persons with diabetes.

Aim

We sought to determine the impact on both visual acuity and the subsequent follow-up retinopathy grade of patients when they fail to attend Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment (DRT) Centers following referral from Diabetic RetinaScreen (DRS).

Methods

A retrospective analysis of patients discharged from DRT due to multiple consecutive missed appointments between January 2016 and June 2021. Patients discharged for non-attendance were compared with patients discharged from completed treatment.

Results

Of the 24,945 NEC patients referred to DRT, 5900 (24%) and 9345 (37%) were discharged back to DRS due to non-attendance and completed treatment, respectively. Those discharged for non-attendance were younger (60.7 v 63.4, p < 0.001) and had higher proportions of males (67% v 63%, p < 0.001) and people with type 1 diabetes (27% v 18%, p < 0.001). After attending rescreening after discharge, those discharged for non-attendance were significantly more likely to have a worsening of DR grade (26% v 8%, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Despite being notified that further investigation (with possible treatment) was required post DRS, many diabetic patients failed to attend for further management of their eye care in DRT. These patients had worse visual outcomes compared to those that attended. Improved patient education and communication are required to mitigate against the consequences of non-attendance.

Cost-effectiveness of dexamethasone compared with aflibercept in naïve diabetic macular edema

BACKGROUND

To assess the cost-effectiveness of the delayed-release device of dexamethasone compared with aflibercept in the treatment of patients with naïve diabetic macular edema (DME) from a societal perspective in the healthcare sector Zaragoza III in Spain.

METHODS

A Markov model with five states defined by visual acuity (VA) in the better-seeing eye (Snellen scale) and an additional death state were constructed. Two cohorts of patients were distributed along the VA states and treated during a year with either dexamethasone or aflibercept. One-year follow-up on each group was performed. Medical costs related to the DME treatment and follow-up, medical costs related to the DME comorbidities, and non-medical-related costs were taken into account. Costs (2020 €), health outcomes (Quality-Adjusted Life Years-QALYs), both discounted at a 3.5% annual rate, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER: €/QALY) were determined for a lifetime horizon in the base case analysis.

RESULTS

Patients treated with dexamethasone were €77,349 more costly and provided 2.667 additional QALYs (€29,002/QALY) than those treated with aflibercept. The variable efficiency per patient was calculated dividing the improvement in quality of life (on the VFQ-25 scale) by the cost of the treatment. With the obtained results it can be concluded that the efficiency of treating the patients with dexamethasone is significantly superior than the efficiency of treating them with aflibercept.

CONCLUSIONS

The cost per QALY gained with the delayed-release device of dexamethasone compared with the one obtained by aflibercept in the naïve DME population is just below the €30,000 threshold, below which, new drugs are sometimes regarded as cost-effective strategies in Spain. In this model, the key variables with greater impact on the cost-effectiveness results were the selected time horizon, the chosen extrapolation method and the number of aflibercept and dexamethasone injections.

The Cost-Effectiveness of a Telemedicine Screening Program for Diabetic Retinopathy in New York City

Background

A telemedicine screening initiative was implemented by the Montefiore Health System to improve access to eyecare for a multi-ethnic, at-risk population of diabetic patients in a largely underserved urban community in the Bronx, New York. This retrospective, cross-sectional analysis evaluates the societal benefit and financial sustainability of this program by analyzing both cost and revenue generation based on current standard Medicare reimbursement rates.

Methods

Non-mydriatic fundus cameras were placed in collaboration with a vendor in eight outpatient primary care sites throughout the Montefiore Health Care System, and data was collected between June 2014 and July 2016. Fundus photos were electronically transmitted to a central reading center to be systematically reviewed and coded by faculty ophthalmologists, and patients were subsequently scheduled for ophthalmic evaluation based upon a predetermined treatment algorithm. A retrospective chart review of 2251 patients was performed utilizing our electronic medical record system (Epic Systems, Verona WI). Revenue was projected utilizing standard Medicare rates for our region while societal benefit was calculated using quality adjusted life years (QALY).

Results

Of the 2251 patient charts reviewed, 791 patients (35.1%) were seen by Montefiore ophthalmologists within a year of the original screening date. Estimated revenue generated by these visits was $276,800, with the majority from the treatment of retinal disease ($208,535), and the remainder from other ophthalmic conditions detected in the fundus photos ($68,265). There was a societal benefit of 14.66 quality adjusted life years (QALYs) with an estimated value of $35,471/QALY.

Conclusion

This telemedicine initiative was successful in identifying many patients with diabetic retinopathy and other ophthalmic conditions who may otherwise not have been formally evaluated. Our analysis demonstrates the program to generate a downstream revenue of nearly $280K with a cost benefit below <50% of the threshold of $100,000/QALY, and therefore cost-effective in marginalized communities.

Quality-adjusted life years in macular oedema due to age-related macular degeneration, diabetes and central retinal vein occlusion: the impact of anti-VEGF agents in a tertiary centre in Greece

INTRODUCTION

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic macular oedema (DME), and macular oedema due to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) are leading causes of vision loss, currently managed with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections (anti-VEGF). The aim of this study was to calculate QALYs in patients with nAMD, DME, and CRVO treated with anti-VEGF agents (QALYs⁺) in a Greek tertiary hospital setting and compare them to theoretical QALYs that the patients would have without treatment (QALYs^-).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 143 treatment-naive patients with macular oedema due to nAMD (n = 79), DME (n = 57), and CRVO (n = 7), who received anti-VEGF injections as monotherapy according to the Treat-and-Extend (T&E) protocol. The anti-VEGF agents were ranibizumab and aflibercept in equivalent fractions. QALYs where calculated by the formula QALY = Utility Value × Time, where "Time" refers to the follow-up period of the study. For QALYs^-, we assumed that visual acuity remained unchanged during this period.

RESULTS

Mean follow-up time was 1.3 ± 1.2 years in the nAMD group, 1 ± 1.3 years in the DME group, and 0.5 ± 1 years in the CRVO group. There was no statistically significant difference between QALYs^- and QALYs⁺ in all three ocular pathologies for the study period (p > 0.05 for each of the three statistical tests performed).

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Possible explanations for the lack of significant difference between QALYs - and QALYs + in nAMD, DME, and CRVO groups, may be the short time horizon used in this analysis, the inclusion of data from the better-seeing eye (BSE) and the specific socio-economic, geographical and health care characteristics of this rural Greek area.

Drivers of and Barriers to Adherence to Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Macular Edema Treatment Management Plans: A Multi-National Qualitative Study

PURPOSE

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) patients treated with intravitreally injected anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) monotherapies achieve lower vision improvements compared with patients in clinical trials. This qualitative research study aimed to better understand the real-world anti-VEGF treatment experience from nAMD and DME patients', caregivers', and retina specialists' perspectives.

METHODS

One-time, semi-structured, individual interviews were conducted with adult patients with nAMD or DME treated with anti-VEGF injections for ≥12 months, their caregivers, and experienced retina specialists. Interview transcripts were analyzed qualitatively using a thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS

A total of 49 nAMD and 46 DME patients, 47 nAMD and 33 DME caregivers, and 62 retina specialists were interviewed in the USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Most (79%) patients and caregivers reported disruptions to their routine on the day before, the day of, or the day after anti-VEGF injection. Seven nAMD patients (14%) and 14 DME patients (30%) reported having missed an injection visit. The most frequently reported driver for adherence for patients was the doctor-patient relationship (n=66, 70%), whereas for caregivers, it was the ease of booking an appointment (n=25, 32%). Retina specialists reported patient education on the treatment (n=28, 45%) as the most important driver. Treatment barriers could be grouped into four categories: tolerability, clinical factors, logistical parameters and human factors. The most frequently reported barrier to adherence for patients and caregivers was related to side effects (pain/discomfort/irritation: n=63, 67% of patients; n=52, 66% of caregivers), whereas for retina specialists it was logistical parameters (travel logistics: n=44, 71%).

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the importance of the doctor-patient relationship and patient education as key drivers, and treatment tolerability and logistics as key barriers to treatment adherence. Improved doctor-patient relationship/communication and patient education together with new therapies offering convenience, long-acting effectiveness, and better tolerability may improve treatment adherence.

Relationship Between Fibroblast Growth Factor 19 and Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate whether fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) is associated with the risk of diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

A total of 357 patients with T2DM were investigated in this cross-sectional study. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between FGF19 level and diabetic retinopathy.

RESULTS

Serum FGF19 level was significantly lower in patients with diabetic retinopathy in those without diabetic retinopathy. The multivariable analysis revealed a significant association between serum FGF19 level and diabetic retinopathy (odds ratio for every 1 standard deviation increase in logarithmic value = 0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.51-0.94, p = 0.019).

CONCLUSION

Serum FGF19 level was negatively associated with diabetic retinopathy in patients with T2DM.

Relationship between plasma growth differentiation factor-15 levels and diabetic retinopathy in individuals with type 2 diabetes

The purpose of our study was to investigate the relationship between plasma growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) concentrations and diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We evaluated 235 patients with type 2 DM in a cross-sectional study. Significantly increased levels of the plasma GDF-15 were found in individuals with diabetic retinopathy versus those without. According to the degree of diabetic retinopathy, there was a significant difference in the average plasma GDF-15 levels (no diabetic retinopathy, 1114 ng/L; nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, 1327 ng/L; proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 1445 ng/L; p for trend = 0.035) after adjustments for confounders. Logistic regression analyses indicated that plasma GDF-15 concentrations were significantly associated with diabetic retinopathy (odds ratio per 1 standard deviation increment in the log-transformed value, 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-3.03, p = 0.032). Our study showed a significant positive relationship between plasma GDF-15 concentrations and diabetic retinopathy in type 2 DM patients.

Quantitative analysis of optical coherence tomography angiography metrics in diabetic retinopathy

Purpose:

To evaluate the correlation of the visual acuity and diabetic retinopathy stage using optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography metrics.

Methods:

In this prospective study, optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography images of patients with different stages of diabetic retinopathy were obtained. In optical coherence tomography angiography images, the size of foveal avascular zone, central macular thickness, and vessel density at superficial and deep capillary layers of the macula were measured. In optical coherence tomography images, the presence of intraretinal cyst, disorganization of retinal inner layer, and ellipsoid zone and external limiting membrane disruption were evaluated. The associations between the variables with visual acuity and diabetic retinopathy stage were analyzed.

Results:

In total, 68 eyes of 38 patients with a mean age of 58.96 ± 10.59 years were included. In total, 34 eyes were categorized as non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 14 as active, and 20 as regressed proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Univariate analysis showed deep parafoveal vessel density, central macular thickness, ellipsoid zone disruption, disorganization of retinal inner layer, and external limiting membrane disruption had a significant relationship with visual acuity. However, in multivariate analysis, only central macular thickness and ellipsoid zone disruption had significant association with visual acuity (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). There was a significant difference in deep parafoveal vessel density (p = 0.04), but not in foveal avascular zone area, between different stages of diabetic retinopathy.

Conclusion:

In this study, the foveal avascular zone area did not correlate with visual acuity and different stages of diabetic retinopathy. Structural abnormalities on optical coherence tomography images with especial focus on outer retinal disruption provided more reliable predictors for visual acuity outcomes in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Cost-Utility Analysis of VEGF Inhibitors for Treating Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

PURPOSE

To perform 11- and 2-year health care sector (ophthalmic) and societal cost perspective reference case, cost-utility analyses comparing bevacizumab, ranibizumab, and aflibercept monotherapies for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD).

DESIGN

Cost-utility analysis.

METHODS

The authors performed 11-year and 2-year ophthalmic and societal cost perspective, cost-utility analyses comparing bevacizumab, ranibizumab, and aflibercept monotherapies for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD). We employed patient utilities, bilateral outcomes, 2018 U.S. dollars, vision-related mortality, a Medicare fee schedule, and CATT (Comparison of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatments) study and VIEW (VEGF Trap-Eye: Investigation of Efficacy and Safety in Wet AMD) trial. Cochrane data were also used.

SETTING

Center for Value-Based Medicine. Patient/study population: patients with NVAMD.

INTERVENTION

Cost-utility analyses using published data. Data-modeled 10-year vision outcomes were modeled forward to year 11.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT

These included cost-utility ratios (CURs), costs, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained. $100,00/QALY was considered the US cost-effectiveness upper limit.

RESULTS

Bevacizumab and ranibizumab each conferred an 11-year, 1.339 QALY gain versus observation. Aflibercept conferred a 1.380 QALY gain. Aflibercept conferred greater QALY gain for less cost than ranibizumab but was not cost-effective compared to bevacizumab ($1,151,451/QALY incremental CUR). The average ophthalmic cost perspective CUR for bevacizumab was $11,033/QALY, $79,600/QALY for ranibizumab, and $44,801/QALY for aflibercept. Eleven-year therapies saved a 1.0 year-of-life loss without treatment from the 11.0-year life expectancy. Early treatment was 138%-149% more cost-effective than late treatment. Two-year therapy prevented a 1-month-of-life loss, and revealed bevacizumab, ranibizumab, and aflibercept conferred 0.141, 0.141, and 0.164 QALY gains, respectively, with corresponding average CURs of $40,371/QALY, $335,726/QALY, and $168,006/QALY, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

From an ophthalmic (medical) cost perspective, bevacizumab, ranibizumab, and aflibercept NVAMD monotherapies were all cost-effective over 11 years, with bevacizumab 6.21× more cost-effective than ranibizumab and 3.06× more cost-effective than aflibercept. Two-year modeling revealed bevacizumab was cost-effective, whereas ranibizumab and aflibercept were not. Early treatment was critical for obtaining optimal vision and cost-effectiveness, as is long-term follow-up and adherence to treatment.

Creating a Health Utility Value for Birdshot Chorioretinopathy

PURPOSE

To create a health utility value for birdshot chorioretinopathy (BCR) using Time Trade-Off (TTO) and Standard Gamble (SG) utilities.

METHOD

Adult BCR patients completed TTO, SG, EQ-5D-5L, and NEI VFQ-25 questionnaires and underwent a detailed history and clinical examination.

RESULTS

A total of 28 BCR patients (9 M, 19 F; mean age 62 years, range 47-83) were included. There were 22 patients with a logMAR vision of 0.3 or better in both eyes. Mean TTO was 0.90 ± SD 0.18 (range 0.33-1.0) and mean SG was 0.94 ± SD 0.14 (range 0.5-1.0). TTO correlated with EQ-5D-5L index value (p = .024) and NEI VFQ-25 composite score (p = .015).

CONCLUSIONS

Of 28 patients with BCR, 11 would trade remaining life (mean 5.4 years), and 6 would take a risk of immediate death (mean 28% risk), in return for perfect vision in both eyes for the rest of their life.

Feasibility of an implementation intervention to increase attendance at diabetic retinopathy screening: protocol for a cluster randomised pilot trial

BACKGROUND

Diabetic retinopathy screening (DRS) leads to the earlier detection of retinopathy and treatment that can prevent or delay the development of diabetes-related blindness. However, uptake continues to be sub-optimal in many countries, including Ireland. Routine management of type 2 diabetes largely takes place in primary care. As such, there may be an opportunity in primary care to introduce interventions to improve DRS uptake. However, few studies test the feasibility of interventions to enhance DRS uptake in this context. Our aim is to investigate the feasibility of an implementation intervention (IDEAs (Improving Diabetes Eye screening Attendance)) delivered in general practice to improve the uptake of the national DRS programme, RetinaScreen.

METHODS

The IDEAs study is a cluster randomised pilot trial with an embedded process evaluation and economic evaluation. Following stratification by practice size, eight general practices (clusters) will be randomly allocated to intervention (n = 4) or wait-list control groups (n = 4). The intervention will be delivered for 6 months, after which, it will be administered to wait-list control practices. The intervention is multi-faceted and comprises provider-level components (training, audit and feedback, health care professional prompt, reimbursement) and patient-level components (GP-endorsed reminder with information leaflet delivered opportunistically face-to-face, and systematically by phone and letter). Patient inclusion criteria are type 1 or type 2 diabetes and DRS programme non-attendance. A multi-method approach will be used to determine screening uptake, evaluate the trial and study procedures and examine the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention from staff and patient perspectives. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected on intervention uptake and delivery, research processes and outcomes. Data will be collected at the practice, health professional and patient level. A partial economic evaluation will be conducted to estimate the cost of delivering the implementation intervention in general practice. Formal continuation criteria will be used to determine whether IDEAs should progress to a definitive trial.

DISCUSSION

Findings will determine whether IDEAsis feasible and acceptable and will be used to refine the intervention and study procedures. A definitive trial will determine whether IDEAs is a cost-effective intervention to improve DRS uptake and reduce diabetes-related blindness.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03901898. Registered 3rd April 2019.

Availability of eye care infrastructure and human resources for managing diabetic retinopathy in the western province of Sri Lanka

Purpose:

Blindness and visual impairment due to diabetic retinopathy (DR) are avoidable by early screening and timely treatment. The western province of Sri Lanka has the highest prevalence of diabetes mellitus (18.6%) in the country. DR had been given less attention in services expansion because of lack of evidence. The aim of this study was to assess the availability of human resources (HR) and infrastructure for DR in eye care facilities.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 51 health care institutions by administering a validated questionnaire schedule and through semi-structured interviews. The data on infrastructure, HR and level of training, and skills were collected during the site visits by observation, frequency counting, and interviewing. Key findings of the interviews were recorded using categorical responses. Data analysis was done using MS-Excel^® and STATA/IC^®-Version 2-13.0 packages.

Results:

The response rate of the survey was 84.3% (43/51). There were 40 board-certified ophthalmologists and 6 vitreo-retinal surgeons in the region, of whom 77.5% (31/40) were in Colombo district. The highest population-adjusted DR-related infrastructure ratios were recorded from Colombo district. Mid-level cadres such as medical officers' mean skill score of DR screening and treatment was low (0.37, 95% CI 0.32-0.40).

Conclusion:

There is no systematic DR screening program, and HR and infrastructure distribution was not aligned to the population need in the western province. Urgent attention should be paid to expand the service delivery and mid-level HR training for DR screening and treatment in this region.

Safety and Efficacy of YAG Laser Vitreolysis for the Treatment of Vitreous Floaters: An Overview

Emerging evidence has suggested that the entoptic phenomena associated with vitreous opacities (i.e. vitreous floaters) are more bothersome than previously believed. In addition, the prevalence of vitreous floaters is likely increasing due to the evolving global pandemic of myopia. The use of YAG laser vitreolysis for the treatment of annoying vitreous floaters has attracted significant attention in recent years as the technique offers a number of potential advantages. Unfortunately, the currently available evidence that is needed to guide clinical practice is both very limited and contradictory. As a consequence, the technique remains highly controversial. A review of the existing literature sheds light on patient- and treatment-related factors that may significantly affect both the effectiveness and the safety of the procedure. The current article discusses important aspects of key publications on the topic, offers suggestions for clinical practice, and highlights unmet needs that should be addressed by future research.

Revisiting pars plana vitrectomy in the primary treatment of diabetic macular edema in the era of pharmacological treatment

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the most common cause of moderate visual loss in diabetic patients. The current treatment of choice for center-involved DME is anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment. Most patients that undergo pharmacological inhibition with anti-VEGF agents need multiple monitoring visits that include optical coherence tomography imaging and multiple injections. Despite this intensive treatment, up to 60% of eyes will have persistent DME after six consecutive monthly injections of an anti-VEGF. Its sustainability over the long term has been questioned. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) by increasing the vitreous cavity oxygenation, relieving vitreomacular traction, and removing cytokines from the vitreous cavity may cause long-term resolution of DME without the aforementioned concerns in selected cases. Eyes with vitreomacular traction clearly benefit from PPV as the primary treatment. The role of PPV for eyes with DME without tractional elements is less clear and needs to be explored further.

Automated Tool for Health Utility Assessments: The Gambler II

Background. The Gambler II is a web-based utility assessment tool supporting visual analogue scale (VAS), standard gamble (SG), and time trade-off (TTO) utility assessments. It contains novel features, including an easy to use project development authoring tool and use of multimedia clips for health state descriptions. Objectives. Evaluate the usability and understandability of the patient-facing side of The Gambler. Investigate the feasibility of using The Gambler and evaluate its impact on patient knowledge regarding the relevant health states. Materials and Methods. We used The Gambler to assess utilities on a convenience sample of 55 users for common long-term complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus: diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic foot infection requiring transmetatarsal amputation. Using VAS, SG, and TTO, we collected metadata, such as time spent on each assessment and the entire assessment process. We evaluated usability with an adaptation of the System Usability Scale survey and understandability. We evaluated impact on knowledge gained through knowledge assessments about these complications before and after use of The Gambler. Results. Overall satisfaction with The Gambler was high, 4.02 on a 5-point scale. Usability rated highly at 84.93 on a normalized scale between 0 and 100. Knowledge scores increased significantly following use of The Gambler from pretest mean of 68% to posttest mean of 76% (P < 0.01). Average time using the software: ∼7½ minutes. Conclusions. The Gambler is an easy to use and understand computer-based tool for utility assessment. It is feasible to use within clinical encounters to support shared decision making, and it has unique features that make it a powerful tool for investigators interested in research on health utilities.

Time Trade-off Utility Values in Noninfectious Uveitis

PURPOSE

To investigate time trade-off (TTO) utility values in patients with noninfectious uveitis and determine whether patient demographics and clinical characteristics are associated with utility scores.

DESIGN

Time trade-off utility analysis.

METHODS

Setting: A tertiary care uveitis center in San Francisco, California, USA.

PATIENT POPULATION

One hundred and four consecutive adults with noninfectious uveitis, enrolled between November 2016 and February 2017.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

TTO utility values, as collected by an interviewer-guided survey. Information regarding general health, ocular symptoms, and religion was also collected and medical record review was conducted to record anatomic location of uveitis, disease activity, visual acuity, and treatments. Multivariable regression analysis with backward selection was used to identify variables associated with TTO values.

RESULTS

Median TTO score was 0.975 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.8-1.0), corresponding to trading a median 1.28 years of remaining life for healthy eyes (IQR: 0-6.29). Regression analysis revealed that worse eye visual acuity, >6 months of oral corticosteroid use, and current antidepressant use were associated with lower TTO scores (P = .008, P = .006, P = .008, respectively), controlling for age and sex. In particular, patients who had been taking oral corticosteroids for more than 6 months, regardless of dose, were 10.5 times more likely to trade 20% or more years of remaining life (TTO ≤0.8) than patients not taking oral corticosteroids (95% confidence interval: 2.3, 48.1; P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with noninfectious uveitis had measurable, though modest, reductions in quality of life, as assessed by TTO, and these decreases were significantly associated with visual acuity in the worse eye and long-term oral corticosteroid use.

Tele-retina screening of diabetic retinopathy among at-risk populations: an economic analysis

OBJECTIVES

To assess the cost-effectiveness of the pilot Toronto tele-retina screening program in comparison with existing standard of care (SOC) diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening for patients with diabetes mellitus and in a simulated Pan-Ontarian cohort.

METHODS

Decision trees were constructed to compare tele-retina to SOC in the pilot and Pan-Ontarian cohort. Cost-effectiveness was assessed as cost per case detected (true-positive) and cost per case correctly diagnosed (true-positive and true-negative results).

RESULTS

Pilot program screening costs were $95.77 and $137.56 for tele-retina and SOC, respectively. In the base-case analysis, cost per case correctly detected was $379.06 with tele-retina and $985.56 with SOC, and the cost per case correctly diagnosed was $109.29 and $315.22, respectively. In the sensitivity analysis, cost per case correctly detected was $467.29 with tele-retina and $894.93 with SOC, and the cost per case correctly diagnosed was $136.88 and $250.35, respectively. Pan-Ontarian screening costs were $57.58 and $137.56 for tele-retina and SOC, respectively. The cost per case correctly detected was $281.10 with tele-retina and $982.00 with SOC, and the cost per case correctly diagnosed was $82.21 and $314.14, respectively. For both pilot and Pan-Ontarian sensitivity analyses, tele-retina remained the dominant strategy (ICER <0).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this study suggest that tele-retina is a more cost-effective means of screening for diabetic retinopathy than the SOC in urban and rural underscreened communities. Subsequent economic studies should focus on evaluations that consider the impact of tele-retina on the prevention of severe vision loss in underscreened urban and rural communities.

Validation of a novel diabetic retinopathy utility index using discrete choice experiments

BACKGROUND/AIMS

To validate a preference-based Diabetic Retinopathy Utility Index (DRU-I) using discrete choice experiment (DCE) methods and assess disutilities associated with vision-threatening DR (VTDR: severe non-proliferative DR, proliferative DR and clinically significant macular oedema) and associated vision impairment.

METHODS

The DRU-I comprises five quality-of-life dimensions, including Visual symptoms, Activity limitation/mobility, Lighting and glare, Socio-emotional well-being and Inconvenience, each rated as no, some, or a lot of difficulty. The DRU-I was developed using a DCE comprising six blocks of nine choice sets which, alongside the EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D-3L) and Vision and Quality of Life (VisQoL) utility instruments, were interviewer-administered to participants. To ensure the DRU-I was sensitive to severe disease, we oversampled patients with VTDR. Data were analysed using conditional logit regression.

RESULTS

Of the 220 participants (mean±SD age 60.1±11.3 years; 70.9% men), 57 (29.1%) and 139 (70.9%) had non-VTDR and VTDR, respectively, while 157 (71.4%), 20 (9.4%) and 37 (17.3%) had no, mild or moderate/severe vision impairment, respectively. Regression coefficients for all dimensions were ordered as expected, with worsening levels in each dimension being less preferred (theoretical validity). DRU-I utilities decreased as DR severity (non-VTDR=0.87; VTDR=0.80; p=0.021) and better eye vision impairment (none=0.84; mild=0.78; moderate/severe=0.72; p=0.012) increased. DRU-I utilities had low (r=0.39) and moderate (r=0.58) correlation with EQ-5D and VisQoL utilities, respectively (convergent validity).

DISCUSSION

The DRU-I can estimate utilities associated with vision-threatening DR and associated vision impairment. It has the potential to assess the cost-effectiveness of DR interventions from a patient perspective and inform policies on resource allocation relating to DR.

Health-related quality of life in patients with uveitis

Background/aims

To measure health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with uveitis using time trade-off (TTO) and standard gamble (SG) methods of direct utility analysis.

Methods

Consecutive patients attending a tertiary referral uveitis clinic were administered standardised, interview-delivered TTO and SG questionnaires and completed the European Quality of Life Five Dimensions Five Level (EQ5D-5L) questionnaire. Clinical data recorded included best-corrected visual acuity, uveitis anatomical and clinical classifications, duration since diagnosis, disease activity, current medication and any ocular or systemic comorbidities.

Results

Two hundred patients with uveitis (124 female, 76 male, median age 54 years) were included. Overall mean TTO utility was 0.831 (95% CI 0.802 to 0.860); mean SG utility was 0.868 (95% CI 0.840 to 0.896) and mean EQ5D-5L utility was 0.742 (95% CI 0.702 to 0.782). There was a negative correlation between visual acuity and mean HRQOL (6/12 or better: TTO 0.86, SG 0.893; 6/15–6/60: TTO 0.662, SG 0.742; worse than 6/60: TTO 0.608, SG 0.712). Poor vision in the better- seeing eye (p=0.004), bilateral disease (p=0.047) and concurrent glaucomatous optic neuropathy (p=0.005) were predictors of poor TTO HRQOL. No correlation was found between HRQOL and duration of diagnosis, a flare of uveitis or being on systemic therapy. Patients with uveitis with poor vision have a TTO value worse than patients with end-stage renal failure on haemodialysis or those with AIDS.

Conclusion

Loss of vision resulting from uveitis is associated with reduced HRQOL. The TTO and SG utility values appear directly dependent on the degree of vision loss and not on the duration of disease or systemic medications.

Improvement in distance and near visual acuities using low vision devices in diabetic retinopathy

Purpose:

The aim of this study is to elucidate the causes and level of visual impairment (VI) in patients with different pathologies of diabetic retinopathy (DR) who presented to a low vision care (LVC) clinic, to analyze the type of distant and near devices prescribed to them and the visual benefits thereof.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review was done for 100 consecutive patients with DR who were referred to the LVC clinic from June 2015 to June 2016. The reason for referral was assessed from the electronic medical records and available fundus photographs, fundus fluorescein angiograms, and optical coherence tomography images by a retina specialist. The details of low-vision devices and subsequent improvements were noted.

Results:

Of the 100 patients, 52% had moderate VI, 19% mild VI, 16% severe VI, and 13% had profound VI or blindness. The most commonly prescribed low vision device was half-eye spectacles (38.4%). The pathologies which had statistically significant improvement (P < 0.05) in distance vision with low vision devices were DR with disc pallor (4.4% improvement), ischemic maculopathy (11.9% improvement), and plaque of hard exudate (10.1% improvement). However, in all pathologies, there was statistically significant improvement (P < 0.05) in near vision.

Conclusion:

Usually, the patients with DR presented to the LVC clinic with moderate VI. The use of low vision devices can help these patients in cases where medical and surgical treatment have no or a limited role in restoring useful vision.

Diabetic retinopathy and the use of laser photocoagulation: is it cost-effective to treat early?

Background/aims

The aim of the study was to explore whether it would be cost-effective to apply panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) at the severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) (early treatment) stage, compared with waiting until high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy (HR-PDR) characteristics (deferred treatment) developed.

Methods

A Markov model with a 30-year time horizon was developed, in which patients presenting with moderate NPDR could progress through all stages of DR (severe NPDR>early PDR>HR-PDR>severe PDR) to severe vision loss and blindness (and to death). A National Health Service and personal social services perspective was adopted. Transition probabilities were mainly derived from the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study. Health state utilities, costs and complications were based on information from the literature, supplemented by expert opinion. Costs and outcomes were discounted at 3.5%. Both deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted.

Results

Administering PRP at the severe NPDR stage could be more effective and less costly than waiting until HR-PDR developed. Sensitivity analyses gave similar results, with early treatment continuing to dominate deferred treatment. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggests that at willingness-to-pay threshold of £20–£30 000 per quality-adjusted life year, the probability of early treatment being cost-effective is 60%.

Conclusion

PRP administered at the severe NPDR stage is likely to be cost-effective compared with delaying photocoagulation until HR-PDR develops. However, given the limitations of the evidence, these results need to be interpreted with caution. A trial of early versus deferred laser therapy is needed to provide better data based on modern treatments.

Viewing the choroid: where we stand, challenges and contradictions in diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema

Diabetic macular oedema (DMO) is the leading cause of vision loss in the working-age population. Blood-retinal barrier (BRB) dysfunction in diabetic retinopathy (DR), mainly at the level of the retinal vessels, has long been related with leakage and fluid accumulation, leading to macular oedema. However, the nourishment of the macula is provided by the choroid and a diabetic choroidopathy has been described. Therefore, there has been a growing interest in studying the role of the choroid in the pathophysiology of DR and DMO, mainly by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Nevertheless, there are conflicting results in the different studies. We summarize the results from the available studies, describe the limitations and confounding factors and discuss future procedures to avoid bias.

Cost-utility analyses of cataract surgery in vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy

PURPOSE

To explore the cost utility of cataract surgery in patients with stabilized vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy (DR).

SETTING

Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

DESIGN

Prospective case series.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with cataracts combined with stabilized vision-threatening DR had successful phacoemulsification with foldable posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. The corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and utility value obtained using the time tradeoff method at 3-month postoperative intervals were compared with those preoperative values. The cost per quality-adjusted life year gained was calculated using the bootstrap method. Sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the results.

RESULTS

The study comprised 126 patients (153 eyes). All surgeries were successful. The weighted logMAR CDVA changed from 0.82 logMAR ± 0.34 (SD) to 0.58 ± 0.30 logMAR (P < .001). The utility values increased from 0.58 ± 0.14 to 0.72 ± 0.14 (P < .001). The gain in utility values was correlated with the postoperative weighted logMAR CDVA, the change between the postoperative and preoperative weighted logMAR CDVA, performance of bilateral cataract surgery, and duration of DR or diabetic macular edema. The patients gained 1.50 quality-adjusted life years by cataract surgery. The cost per quality-adjusted life year was US $768. This surgery was cost-effective at the threshold of US $22 526 per quality-adjusted life year in China. The cost per quality-adjusted life year varied from US $630 to US $8707 in sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSION

Cataract surgery was a cost-effective intervention for patients with coexisting, stabilized, vision-threatening DR.

Health State Utility Values for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Review and Advice

Health state utility values are a major source of uncertainty in economic evaluations of interventions for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This review identifies and critiques published utility values and methods for eliciting de novo utility values in AMD. We describe how utility values have been used in healthcare decision making and provide guidance on the choice of utility values for future economic evaluations for AMD. Literature was searched using PubMed, and health technology assessments (HTA) were searched using HTA agency websites to identify articles reporting utility values or approaches to derive utility values in AMD and articles applying utilities for use in healthcare decision making relating to treatments for AMD. A total of 70 studies qualified for data extraction, 22 of which were classified as containing utility values and/or elicitation methods, and 48 were classified as using utility values in decision making. A large number of studies have elicited utility values for AMD, although those applied to decision making have focused on a few of these. There is an appreciation of the challenges in the measurement and valuation of health states, with recent studies addressing challenges such as the insensitivity of generic health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaires and utility in the worse-seeing eye. We would encourage careful consideration when choosing utility values in decision making and an explicit critique of their applicability to the decision problem.

SOCIETAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION IN THE UNITED STATES

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to use a cross-sectional prevalence-based health care economic survey to ascertain the annual, incremental, societal ophthalmic costs associated with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

METHODS

Consecutive patients (n = 200) with neovascular age-related macular degeneration were studied. A Control Cohort included patients with good (20/20-20/25) vision, while Study Cohort vision levels included Subcohort 1: 20/30 to 20/50, Subcohort 2: 20/60 to 20/100, Subcohort 3: 20/200 to 20/400, and Subcohort 4: 20/800 to no light perception. An interviewer-administered, standardized, written survey assessed 1) direct ophthalmic medical, 2) direct nonophthalmic medical, 3) direct nonmedical, and 4) indirect medical costs accrued due solely to neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

RESULTS

The mean annual societal cost for the Control Cohort was $6,116 and for the Study Cohort averaged $39,910 (P < 0.001). Study Subcohort 1 costs averaged $20,339, while Subcohort 4 costs averaged $82,984. Direct ophthalmic medical costs comprised 17.9% of Study Cohort societal ophthalmic costs, versus 74.1% of Control Cohort societal ophthalmic costs (P < 0.001) and 10.4% of 20/800 to no light perception subcohort costs. Direct nonmedical costs, primarily caregiver, comprised 67.1% of Study Cohort societal ophthalmic costs, versus 21.3% ($1,302/$6,116) of Control Cohort costs (P < 0.001) and 74.1% of 20/800 to no light perception subcohort costs.

CONCLUSION

Total societal ophthalmic costs associated with neovascular age-related macular degeneration dramatically increase as vision in the better-seeing eye decreases.

The Impact of Diabetes-Related Complications on Preference-Based Measures of Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Type I Diabetes

Introduction. This study estimates health-related quality of life (HRQoL) or utility decrements associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using data from a UK research program on the Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating (DAFNE) education program. Methods. A wide range of data was collected from 2341 individuals who undertook a DAFNE course in 2009–2012, at baseline and for 2 subsequent years. We use fixed- and random-effects linear models to generate utility estimates for T1DM using different instruments: EQ-5D, SF-6D, and EQ-VAS. We show models with and without controls for HbA1c and depression, which may be endogenous (if, for example, there is reverse causality in operation). Results. We find strong evidence of an unobserved individual effect, suggesting the superiority of the fixed-effects model. Depression shows the greatest decrement across all the models in the preferred fixed-effects model. The fixed-effects EQ-5D model also finds a significant decrement from retinopathy, body mass index, and HbA1c (%). Estimating a decrement using the fixed-effects model is not possible for some conditions where there are few new cases. In the random-effects model, diabetic foot disease shows substantial utility decrements, yet these are not significant in the fixed-effects models. Conclusion. Utility decrements have been calculated for a wide variety of health states in T1DM that can be used in economic analyses. However, despite the large data set, the low incidence of several complications leads to uncertainty in calculating the utility weights. Depression and diabetic foot disease result in a substantial loss in HRQoL for patients with T1DM. HbA1c (%) appears to have an independent negative impact on HRQoL, although concerns remain regarding the potential endogeneity of this variable.

Cost of diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema in a population, an eight year follow up

BACKGROUND

Prospective, population-based study of an 8-year follow up. To determine the direct cost of diabetic retinopathy [DR], evaluating our screening programme and the cost of treating DR, focusing on diabetic macular oedema [DMO] after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor [anti-VEGF] treatment.

METHODS

A total of 15,396 diabetes mellitus [DM] patients were studied. We determined the cost-effectiveness of our screening programme against an annual programme by applying the Markov simulation model. We also compared the cost-effectiveness of anti-VEGF treatment to laser treatment for screened patients with DMO.

RESULTS

The cost of our 2.5-year screening programme was as follows: per patient with any-DR, €482.85 ± 35.14; per sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy [STDR] patient, €1528.26 ± 114.94; and €1826.98 ± 108.26 per DMO patient. Comparatively, an annual screening programme would result in increases as follows: 0.77 in QALY per patient with any-DR and 0.6 and 0.44 per patient with STDR or DMO, respectively, with an incremental cost-effective ratio [ICER] of €1096.88 for any-DR, €4571.2 for STDR and €7443.28 per DMO patient. Regarding diagnosis and treatment, the mean annual total cost per patient with DMO was €777.09 ± 49.45 for the laser treated group and €7153.62 ± 212.15 for the anti-VEGF group, with a QALY gain of 0.21, the yearly mean cost was €7153.62 ± 212.15 per patient, and the ICER was €30,361.

CONCLUSIONS

Screening for diabetic retinopathy every 2.5 years is cost-effective, but should be adjusted to a patient's personal risk factors. Treatment with anti-VEGF for DMO has increased costs, but the cost-utility increases to 0.21 QALY per patient.

Cost-effectiveness of ranibizumab in the treatment of visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema

Objective Ranibizumab, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor designed for ocular use, has been deemed cost-effective in multiple indications by several Health Technology Assessment bodies. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of ranibizumab monotherapy or combination therapy (ranibizumab plus laser photocoagulation) compared with laser monotherapy for the treatment of visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods A Markov model was developed in which patients moved between health states defined by best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) intervals and an absorbing 'death' state. The population of interest was patients with DME due to type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus. Baseline characteristics were based on those of participants in the RESTORE study. Main outputs were costs (in 2013 CA$) and health outcomes (in quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs]) and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated. This cost-utility analysis was conducted from healthcare system and societal perspectives in Quebec. Results From a healthcare system perspective, the ICERs for ranibizumab monotherapy and combination therapy vs laser monotherapy were CA$24 494 and CA$36 414 per QALY gained, respectively. The incremental costs per year without legal blindness for ranibizumab monotherapy and combination therapy vs laser monotherapy were CA$15 822 and CA$20 616, respectively. Based on the generally accepted Canadian ICER threshold of CA$50 000 per QALY gained, ranibizumab monotherapy and combination therapy were found to be cost-effective compared with laser monotherapy. From a societal perspective, ranibizumab monotherapy and combination therapy provided greater benefits at lower costs than laser monotherapy (ranibizumab therapy dominated laser therapy). Conclusions Ranibizumab monotherapy and combination therapy resulted in increased quality-adjusted survival and time without legal blindness and lower costs from a societal perspective compared with laser monotherapy.

Pan-retinal photocoagulation and other forms of laser treatment and drug therapies for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy: systematic review and economic evaluation

BACKGROUND

Diabetic retinopathy is an important cause of visual loss. Laser photocoagulation preserves vision in diabetic retinopathy but is currently used at the stage of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim was to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of pan-retinal photocoagulation (PRP) given at the non-proliferative stage of diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) compared with waiting until the high-risk PDR (HR-PDR) stage was reached. There have been recent advances in laser photocoagulation techniques, and in the use of laser treatments combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs or injected steroids. Our secondary questions were: (1) If PRP were to be used in NPDR, which form of laser treatment should be used? and (2) Is adjuvant therapy with intravitreal drugs clinically effective and cost-effective in PRP?

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for efficacy but other designs also used.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE and EMBASE to February 2014, Web of Science.

REVIEW METHODS

Systematic review and economic modelling.

RESULTS

The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS), published in 1991, was the only trial designed to determine the best time to initiate PRP. It randomised one eye of 3711 patients with mild-to-severe NPDR or early PDR to early photocoagulation, and the other to deferral of PRP until HR-PDR developed. The risk of severe visual loss after 5 years for eyes assigned to PRP for NPDR or early PDR compared with deferral of PRP was reduced by 23% (relative risk 0.77, 99% confidence interval 0.56 to 1.06). However, the ETDRS did not provide results separately for NPDR and early PDR. In economic modelling, the base case found that early PRP could be more effective and less costly than deferred PRP. Sensitivity analyses gave similar results, with early PRP continuing to dominate or having low incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. However, there are substantial uncertainties. For our secondary aims we found 12 trials of lasers in DR, with 982 patients in total, ranging from 40 to 150. Most were in PDR but five included some patients with severe NPDR. Three compared multi-spot pattern lasers against argon laser. RCTs comparing laser applied in a lighter manner (less-intensive burns) with conventional methods (more intense burns) reported little difference in efficacy but fewer adverse effects. One RCT suggested that selective laser treatment targeting only ischaemic areas was effective. Observational studies showed that the most important adverse effect of PRP was macular oedema (MO), which can cause visual impairment, usually temporary. Ten trials of laser and anti-VEGF or steroid drug combinations were consistent in reporting a reduction in risk of PRP-induced MO.

LIMITATION

The current evidence is insufficient to recommend PRP for severe NPDR.

CONCLUSIONS

There is, as yet, no convincing evidence that modern laser systems are more effective than the argon laser used in ETDRS, but they appear to have fewer adverse effects. We recommend a trial of PRP for severe NPDR and early PDR compared with deferring PRP till the HR-PDR stage. The trial would use modern laser technologies, and investigate the value adjuvant prophylactic anti-VEGF or steroid drugs.

STUDY REGISTRATION

This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42013005408.

FUNDING

The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Danish Nationwide Data Reveal a Link between Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Glaucoma

Aims. To determine the association between treatment against diabetes mellitus (DM) and treatment with antiglaucomatous drugs in the entire Danish population and to investigate the comorbidity between DM and its complications with antiglaucomatous treatment. Methods. Retrospective nationwide cohort study with data over a 16-year follow-up period. The National Danish Registry of Medicinal Products Statistics was used to identify all claimed prescriptions for antiglaucomatous medication and DM drugs. ICD-10 classifications were furthermore used to identify comorbidities between antiglaucomatous medication and the DM complications, diabetic retinopathy (DR), and nephropathy. Results. A total of 6,343,747 individuals in the period between 1996 and 2012 were analyzed. The overall incidence rate of new-onset glaucoma patients was 0.07 per 1000 person-years for the reference population compared to 36 per 1000 person-years for all diagnosed DM cases. Patients treated with DM drugs had about two times higher relative risk of glaucoma, when adjusting for a range of factors. The presence of DR alone or in combination with nephropathy increased the risk of glaucoma. Conclusions. The present study reports a strong association between DM and onset of glaucoma treatment in the entire Danish population.

Disparities between Ophthalmologists and Patients in Estimating Quality of Life Associated with Diabetic Retinopathy

Background

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the utility values associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a sample of Chinese patients and ophthalmologists.

Methods

Utility values were evaluated by both the time trade-off (TTO) and rating scale (RS) methods for 109 eligible patients with DR and 2 experienced ophthalmologists. Patients were stratified by Snellen best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the better-seeing eye. The correlations between the utility values and general vision-related health status measures were analyzed. These utility values were compared with data from two other studies.

Results

The mean utility values elicited from the patients themselves with the TTO (0.81; SD 0.10) and RS (0.81; SD 0.11) methods were both statistically lower than the mean utility values assessed by ophthalmologists. Significant predictors of patients’ TTO and RS utility values were both LogMAR BCVA in the affected eye and average weighted LogMAR BCVA. DR grade and duration of visual dysfunction were also variables that significantly predicted patients’ TTO utility values. For ophthalmologists, patients’ LogMAR BCVA in the affected eye and in the better eye were the variables that significantly predicted both the TTO and RS utility values. Patients’ education level was also a variable that significantly predicted RS utility values. Moreover, both diabetic macular edema and employment status were significant predictors of TTO and RS utility values, whether from patients or ophthalmologists. There was no difference in mean TTO utility values compared to our American and Canadian patients.

Conclusions

DR caused a substantial decrease in Chinese patients’ utility values, and ophthalmologists substantially underestimated its effect on patient quality of life.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Screening Strategies for Diabetic Retinopathy in Korea

This study involved a cost-utility analysis of early diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy depending on the screening strategy used. The four screening strategies evaluated were no screening, opportunistic examination, systematic fundus photography, and systematic examination by an ophthalmologists. Each strategy was evaluated in 10,000 adults aged 40 yr with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus (hypothetical cohort). The cost of each strategy was estimated in the perspective of both payer and health care system. The utility was estimated using quality-adjusted life years (QALY). Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) for the different screening strategies was analyzed. After exclusion of the weakly dominating opportunistic strategy, the ICER of systematic photography was 57,716,867 and that of systematic examination by ophthalmologists was 419,989,046 from the perspective of the healthcare system. According to the results, the systematic strategy is preferable to the opportunistic strategy from the perspective of both a payer and a healthcare system. Although systematic examination by ophthalmologists may have higher utility than systematic photography, it is associated with higher cost. The systematic photography is the best strategy in terms of cost-utility. However systematic examination by ophthalmologists can also be a suitable policy alternative, if the incremental cost is socially acceptable.

Treatment Satisfaction and Well-Being in Patients with Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization Treated with Ranibizumab in the REPAIR Study

The Ranibizumab for the Treatment of Choroidal Neovascularisation (CNV) Secondary to Pathological Myopia (PM): an Individualized Regimen (REPAIR) trial was a prospective study exploring the efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg using an individualized treatment regimen over 12 months. The current study investigated the impact of treatment with ranibizumab as needed (pro re nata [PRN]) on individuals with myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV) in the REPAIR study, using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for treatment satisfaction and well-being. This study included 65 adults with mCNV and a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) letter score of 24-78 in the study eye. Patients completed the Macular Disease Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (MacTSQ) at months 1, 6 and 12, and the 12-item Well-Being Questionnaire (W-BQ12) at baseline and months 1, 6 and 12. Subgroup analyses investigated the relationship between PROM scores and treatment in the better- or worse-seeing eye (BSE/WSE), number of injections received, baseline BCVA, BCVA improvement and age. Pearson correlations between change in BCVA, MacTSQ scores and W-BQ12 scores were calculated. The main outcome measures were treatment satisfaction measured with the MacTSQ (score 0-72) and well-being measured with the W-BQ12 (score 0-36). Treatment satisfaction significantly increased over the study period (p = 0.0001). Mean MacTSQ scores increased by 9.7 and 10.0 in patients treated in their WSE and BSE, respectively. Treatment satisfaction was highest in individuals receiving only one injection at month 1; however, by month 12, scores were similar across injection subgroups. Patients aged 68 years or older had the highest MacTSQ scores. Well-being scores also significantly increased over the study period (p = 0.03). Mean W-BQ12 scores increased by 1.7 in patients treated in their WSE and by 2.1 in patients treated in their BSE. Individuals aged 40 years or younger had the greatest increases in general well-being. Patients who experienced stable or improved BCVA at month 12 had greater increases in W-BQ12 scores than those who experienced a decrease. Correlations between BCVA, MacTSQ scores and W-BQ12 scores were largely non-significant. In conclusion, treatment satisfaction and well-being increased during treatment with ranibizumab PRN. Although directly comparable data are limited for the MacTSQ and W-BQ12 in mCNV, these results complement PROM outcomes reported in related studies.

Utility values among myopic patients in mainland China

PURPOSE

To elicit utility values of adult myopic patients in mainland China.

METHODS

A valid sample of 442 myopia patients (spherical equivalent at least -0.5 diopters) aged 17 to 44 years who were scheduled to undergo refractive surgery were recruited. Information on time trade-off ([TTO] years of life willing to sacrifice for treatment of myopia) and standard gamble (SG) for blindness (risk of blindness from therapy, willing to sacrifice for treatment of myopia) utility values and sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained.

RESULTS

The mean utility values based on TTO and SG were 0.96 ± 0.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95 to 0.96; median, 0.98) and 0.93 ± 0.09 (95% CI, 0.92 to 0.94; median, 0.97), respectively. Myopic patients using contact lens had significantly higher TTO utility values than those wearing glasses (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the TTO and SG utility values by age, sex, occupation, educational levels, residence, reasons for refractive surgery, and severity and duration of myopia (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The TTO and SG produce similar mean utility values, but there is poor agreement between results for individuals from the two methods. Utility values associated with myopic patients obtained in this study or reported in the literature seem to be higher than those obtained for other ophthalmic conditions.

The effect of diabetes complications on health-related quality of life: the importance of longitudinal data to address patient heterogeneity

We estimate the impact of six diabetes-related complications (myocardial infarction, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure, amputation and visual acuity) on quality of life, using seven rounds of EQ-5D questionnaires administered between 1997 and 2007 in the UK Prospective Diabetes Study. The use of cross-sectional data to make such estimates is widespread in the literature, being less expensive and easier to collect than repeated-measures data. However, analysis of this dataset suggests that cross-sectional analysis could produce biased estimates of the effect of complications on QoL. Using fixed effects estimators, we show that variation in the quality of life between patients is strongly influenced by time-invariant patient characteristics. Our results highlight the importance of studying quality-of-life changes over time to distinguish between time-invariant determinants of QoL and the effect on QoL of specific events such as diabetes complications.